With a piston/cylinder assembly of this type, the pressure medium, which is compressed during the forward stroke of the piston, is discharged through the restricted pipe, one and the same external pipe being used for the discharge of the pressure medium and for the supply of the pressure medium to the cylinder to effect the reverse stroke of the piston. Since the pressure medium has to pass through the restricted zone in order to be admitted into the pressure chamber after leaving the external pipe, the reverse movement is somewhat delayed resulting in a relatively slow start of the reverse stroke. This, however, is often considered undesirable.